DeSantis, Goodlatte Introduce Bill to Combat Anti-Israel Boycotts

Washington, DC – Rep. Ron DeSantis (FL-06) today introduced the Export Administration Anti-Discrimination Act (EAADA) in order to protect businesses from discriminatory boycotts, particularly those businesses with a nexus to Israel. DeSantis is joined in this effort by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (VA-06).
“The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement has weaponized economic activity to purposefully inflict financial harm on Israel,” DeSantis said. “Americans and our allies alike deserve the freedom to conduct business without the perpetual threat of discriminatory boycotts. U.S. policy should reflect strong opposition to those who seek to isolate our allies and cause economic damage to countries such as Israel. The Export Administration Anti-Discrimination Act will strengthen current law and modernize important anti-boycott protections.”
“There has been a disturbing trend here in the United States of groups pressuring U.S. businesses and universities to not do business with or in Israel,” Goodlatte said. “Israel is one of our closest allies and we must ensure that our laws protect American companies conducting business with all of our allies. I thank Congressman DeSantis for introducing the Export Administration Anti-Discrimination Act, which is a much needed bill to provide clarity to and close loopholes in current law to prevent discriminatory boycotts targeting our allies.”Background on the EAADA:

The Export Administration Act (EAA) of 1979 prohibits discriminatory boycotts and other attempts to economically harm nations friendly to the United States and their businesses.

·The EAADA provides necessary updates to anti-boycott protections by:

Expanding the scope of prohibited conduct from boycotts imposed by foreign countries to all boycotts of a nation not subject to U.S. sanctions, regardless of the boycott’s origin;

Creating a private right of action for those harmed by unlawful boycotts; and

Permanently enacting the anti-boycott protections in the EAA that are presently only enforced by Executive Order.